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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Watercolour Wednesday - Candelabra and Flowers

I'm loving the art class on Wednesdays. It's such a pleasant break from my everyday life. Don't get me wrong - it's not that I don't absolutely love my everyday life... But I usually am trying to pack so much into my time - dealing with my consultancy clients - business process improvement, company restructure, recruitment, resolving HR issues or painting/stripping/buying/selling furniture - and looking after my kids/home/marriage.

So for three whole hours on a Wednesday I get to sit in one spot and just concentrate on the still life in front of me and create (or try to create) a lovely painting - and there's no pressure to make it saleable or something anybody else has to like. I find it extremely relaxing.

a quick couple of flowers

A candelabra. Our study today was to paint this with no pencil drawing first. It's more difficult than it sounds.

and here below is our teacher's( Susie Murphie) very quick example of the candelabra -She honestly just whipped this up - She's an amazing artist. I love her work.

The lessons I took from today's class include:

Exaggerate the variations of tone

Leave lots of white space

Show confidence in your brush stokes

Because you all expressed such appreciation of Jan's lovely work last week -here's a lovely little floral study she whipped up at the end of the class. It's a card for her friend's birthday. Imagine receiving such a lovely thoughtful card - it would make my day.

around the class room are quotes from famous artists. I love this one.

...and I thought I'd share a painting I did years ago. It's water droplets in a leaf. An exercise in transparency and three dimensional shapes. I wonder if I could even do this now. I 'll have to try and replicate it.

The best part of today is Susie let me take home some of the flowers we'd been painting.

These roses are about 10 days old but I actually prefer roses when they are fading and they still smell divine....

and the colours....

and here's an amazing bunch of orchids. The mottled colours are so beautiful.

L-o-v-e it!! You are so talented and I really like they way you are getting back into this despite the fact you are probably very busy. Very good for the soul this and for relaxation and nurturing Y-O-U. You are inspirational...